Names In The News

Wisconsin-based Edis Trucking on Wednesday filed a federal lawsuit against Pilot Flying J which "specifically names" Browns Owner and Pilot CEO JIMMY HASLAM III as a defendant "accused of defrauding the trucking business and others like it." The class action lawsuit is the "first of five lawsuits filed in the case to name Haslam and other top company officials as individual defendants." The suit says Haslam "exercised control, authority, responsibility and/or supervision" of the company's employees and officers. According to the suit, Haslam "also engaged in and/or caused" Pilot Flying J to take part in the scheme (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 5/3).

THE MAN BEHIND MARIA: CNN's Gary Morley profiled tennis agent MAX EISENBUD, who reps LI NA and MARIA SHARAPOVA, among others. Sharapova "has been able to count on" Eisenbud, who has "masterminded her rise to becoming the world's highest-paid female athlete." Eisenbud "made a fortune not only for Sharapova," but also for Na. Eisenbud: "As an agent you just get lucky sometimes, and I'm just a really lucky guy." Morley notes Eisenbud "may work with other players," but he says that Sharapova "will always be his focus" (CNN.com, 5/1).

GYM CLASS: Heat F LEBRON JAMES donated $1M for a "state-of-the-art gym at his alma mater," St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron. The project should be completed this fall, and basketball coach DRU JOYCE II said that "everything will be run by James." It will be "named the LeBron James Arena" (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 5/3).

BUCK STOPS HERE: Orioles manager BUCK SHOWALTER is featured in the Baltimore SUN's "Celebrity Traveler" series, and the former Rangers manager provided "some tips for visiting Dallas." Asked which airline he preferred, Showalter said, "American. Dallas is a hub, and I'm a big nonstop fan." Showalter said, "Because this job is seven days a week and often on the road, when my wife and I are together, we eat at home. I couldn't tell you more than two or three restaurants in Dallas or Baltimore!" (Baltimore SUN, 5/3).

NAMES: The MLS Timbers and Make-A-Wish Oregon "treated" 8-year-old fan ATTICUS LANE-DUPRE and his team the Green Machine to a game Wednesday. Atticus "scored the game-winning goal" in a 10-9 win (AP, 5/1)....Lakers G KOBE BRYANT on Thursday filed a lawsuit to "put the brakes" on an auction by his mother PAMELA, of some of his memorabilia. Bryant sent a "cease-and-deist letter to the auctioneer, Goldin Auctions LLC of West Berlin." The 43 items were to go "up for auction in June" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 5/3)....Colts Owner JIM IRSAY on Twitter announced that he is “going to help" Colts-themed Indianapolis restaurant Blue Crew Sports Grill from being shut down “because of a $75,000 rent debt” (INDYSTAR.com, 5/2)....Golf HOFer NANCY LOPEZ will host a fundraiser for Henry Ford Macomb Hospitals on June 10 at the Detroit Golf Club (FREEP.com, 5/1)....MLB and the MLBPA announced a combined $100,000 donation to the POINTWEST Bank Fund to assist victims of the fertilizer plant fire and explosion in West, Texas (MLB)....Lions DT NDAMUKONG SUH on Thursday "presented a check" for $250,000 from the Ndamukong Suh Family Foundation to install a synthetic turf field at Grant High School in Portland (OREGONLIVE.com, 5/2)....Singer BRYAN EVANS is writing a book "The Green Monsters -- A Fan's Perspective of Red Sox Management" about the making of his music video "At Fenway." The book will detail "what it was like dealing with Red Sox management" (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/3)....The Annika Intercollegiate, a new college golf tournament co-founded by the Annika Foundation and Golfweek, will be held Sept. 27-30 next year at the Reunion Resort near Orlando (GOLFWEEK.com, 5/2).

IN MEMORY: REUBEN PORRAS, an Atlanta-based cameraman, suffered a heart attack in an off-field media room at Turner Field on Wednesday and passed away later in the evening. Nationals head trainer LEE KUNTZ and assistant strength and conditioning coach JOHN HSU “were able to initially revive him” (MLB.com, 5/1).